#fic: love is a katsudon

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

On Love Eros is a textbook depiction of how a figure skating routine evolves over a season

If you watch figure skating, you might have noticed that skaters grow into their programmes as the season progresses and that sometimes elements (usually jumps) are rearranged or replaced because the skater struggles with them or to increase the base score of the programme. In Yuri On Ice!!!, there is a lot of this, most prominently in Yuuri’s and Yuri’s programmes. In the following, I will break this down for Yuuri’s short programme On Love: Eros as this provides the most comprehensive data on the subject.

Presentation

Figure skating is, to somewhat extent, acting. A programme can require a skater to slip into a role (I’ve heard of skaters who take acting classes for this), but even for a programme that portrays a skater’s feelings basic expression and projection skills are useful. Yuuri skates at his best when he skates true to his feelings and because of this, he gets high programme component scores (PCS), which help him make up for messed-up jumps. But when Viktor assigns On Love: Eros to him, Yuuri has no idea how to skate it. For how shall he express something he hasn’t experienced before?

Yuuri has never thought about love much less had a relationship. He says of himself that he didn’t pay attention to the things happening around him because he focused on skating since laying his eyes on Viktor for the first time. However, Viktor’s demonstration of On Love: Eros has given him an idea of a possible story:

A playboy comes to town and bewitches the women left and right. He decides to pursue the most beautiful woman in town, but she isn’t swayed. As they play the game of love, she finds it difficult to make the right choices and ends up falling for him. Then, he casts her aside as if he’s tired of her and goes off to the next town.

Which pretty much describes the situation in episodes 2&3 as Yuuri perceives it, including a possible scenario that Viktor discards him for coaching Yurio. (It also represents Viktor’s misperception of poor drunk Yuuri at the banquet, but that’s beside the point.)

Yuuri very keenly feels that he’s not at all like the playboy in his story as he considers himself physically unattractive and lacks confidence. Thankfully, Viktor’s old costume inspires him to swap roles and play the woman in his story as her part is closer to “how he feels”. To win, he must change the story and make Viktor stay. It’s unclear whether “how he feels” also refers to his unique notion of sexiness as a queer man, but as queer people are less likely to adhere to cishet stereotypes, it can very well be an additional factor. As a result of his revelation, he asks Minako to teach him to move more femininely. In the show, this is expressed in Yuuri using female pronouns during the first two times he skates Eros (the female Japanese “I” is “atashi”) and his voice being softer compared to when he’s off-ice. To cover up for his inexperience, he thinks of his favourite dish, which he’s only allowed to eat when he wins. Ironically, katsudon is a wrapper for everything Yuuri wants besides eating this food: he wants to win and he wants to eat katsudon with Viktor, representing his wish for Viktor to stay his coach (and maybe other things concerning Viktor he may not yet be able to express).

Yuuri's approach to expressing Eros reminds me of how actors approach the portrayal of an experience they never made themselves or that is hard to conjure. As a writer, I do this a lot too when putting myself in a character’s shoes. Switching the viewpoint character is also super helpful when a scene just doesn’t work the way I want it to (which is kinda what Yuuri does, too).

In episode 5, the story Yuuri wove around his programme has changed. His portrayal of Eros has evolved, but it’s not yet perfected. He still impersonates a woman and a tasty katsudon (“I’m a katsudon fatale that enthrals men” using “atashi”), but now it’s the woman who discards the man and goes off pursuing the next man.

Yuuri predominantly focuses on trying to include Viktor’s advice when he was flirting with Yuuri in the rink coaching him (“dance more like you’re trying to seduce me”). Only close to the end, he remembers the story of his programme: “On the conclusion for the love-crazed couple… how did it go?” which is kinda distanced compared to his thoughts about Viktor flirting with him and might imply that he doesn’t fully identify with the role.

As a sexually experienced person Yuuri’s coach, it’s evident to Viktor that Yuuri is still wrestling with his portrayal of Eros (which must be strange as he remembers how Yuuri was at the banquet lol). However, between episodes 5 and 6, something important happens: Yuuri and Viktor finally get together and thus the nature of their interactions changes (I discussed Japanese dating culture and how this is portrayed in YOI here). Because of this, Viktor instructs Yuuri to seduce him as himself the next time when he skates Eros in competition, which is at the Cup of China. And Yuuri’s reaction says it all.

Yuuri promptly starts using the same pronoun he uses when he refers to himself in his dialogue lines throughout the anime (“boku” is the Japanese standard male pronoun for “I). The programme is no longer a story with a protagonist Yuuri has to impersonate and identify with to some degree, but about him actively seducing Viktor with his own charms. It’s unclear whether he keeps the “female” skating style despite the pronoun change as this exceeds the limits of the animation (skating scenes are super difficult to animate so the pronouns might serve as a proxy for what the creators couldn’t translate into images). However, as Yuri!!! is super queer, I headcanon this style to become less exaggerated as it evolves into a natural expression that is 100% Yuuri as he fully blooms into his unique notion of Eros as part of his queer journey and his deepening relationship with Viktor.

However, it’s beyond doubt that the evolution of Yuuri’s portrayal of Eros is also closely tied to his relationship. Taking Viktor’s pep talk, Yuuri’s inner monologue while skating (“I am the only one who can satisfy Viktor”), and their exchange in the kiss and cry into account, skating seductively isn’t the only thing Yuuri thought of doing to Viktor *cough*, and they both know. As a result, he delivers a stellar performance with a new personal best.

I don’t think I need to elaborate on the off-ice activities the two likely have engaged in between the Cup of China and the Rostelecom Cup. As a result of his deepening relationship with Viktor and the subsequent experiences made, Yuuri scores even higher when he skates Eros in Russia. Being far away in a place where people might resent him for stealing Viktor from the sport, fuels his possessiveness which is one aspect of his Eros and ends in him getting an even higher score. His short programme has reached a stage at which he can hardly improve it any further with its current layout.

Before I’ll talk about the last time we see Yuuri skating Eros, let’s dive into the technical side.

Technical aspects

Eros is a super difficult programme for a skater with lots of stamina. All the jumps are in the second half and every entry into a jump is more difficult than the previous one, starting with a spread-eagle into the 3A and ending with a lunge entry into the 4T+3T combination. The step sequence which covers the better part of the first half looks quite demanding, too, as it has to match the pace of the music. All this makes the programme pretty ruthless, matching the theme. The initial layout includes a 3S as the second jump, which Yuuri decides turns into a quad in an attempt to beat Yuri at the Onsen on Ice because he is that desperate to win. Of course, this doesn’t go as planned, but Yuuri had to take the risk. As a side effect, it makes the entire routine even more daring. (fun fact: many irl skaters struggle with the 4S too)

As said above, Yuuri skates at his best when he skates true to his feelings. This is especially true for jumps as he is prone to flub them when something is on his mind or the programme isn’t working for him for whatever reason. To successfully land a quad jump, everything going into the execution like technique, timing, speed, power of takeoff, the moment of opening the body before landing etc. must be finely tuned. So, it’s no surprise that Yuuri nails only the 4S when he fully settled into the programme in episode 6.

For the Grand Prix Final, Yuuri changes his jump layout of Eros one last time to maximise its base score. Again, it’s a risk he’s willing to take to win. He’s been taking risks all season by changing jumps, most prominently in his free programme when he included the 4F to surprise Viktor, and now he plans to jump the 4F in Eros as the final jump, while the 4S remains in the second jumping pass but is combined with the 3T whereas the 4T is omitted.

For reference: these are the base values of the jumps in question as they appear in Yuri!!!*:

3S: 4.4

4S: 10.5

4T: 10.3

4F: 12.3

The 4F is a jump so far only Viktor could land successfully in competition and so it became his signature move. It symbolises everything Viktor is to Yuuri and expresses his desire to become as good as Viktor or even surpass him, as well as his romantic feelings. Including it in Eros, adds a possessive layer to the many things the 4F represents like showing the world that Viktor is his now, but also Yuuri’s ambition and growth as a person including his newly-discovered confidence. Remember the flashback to the rink between the Rostelecom Cup and the Grand Prix Final when Yuuri had already proposed to Viktor? “You want to see me land a quad flip in the short programme, right?” “I do!” It sounds a lot like a second proposal—all this is ultimately part of Yuuri’s Eros, too.

In the end, Yuuri doesn’t nail the 4F and ends up in fifth place after the short programme as his mind was more occupied with winning than with seducing Viktor. I like to believe that Yuuri succeeds at the next competition and that he continues refining his SP throughout the rest of the figure skating season as his relationship with Viktor deepens and evolves further. But as the anime ends mid-season, this speculation is mostly based on watching irl figure skating and my headcanon.

Closing remarks on queer presentation

What sometimes is referred to as “female” expression in dance sports is a soft and sensual movement style as opposed to the cishet male stereotype (strong, shows little emotion etc). It basically describes a gay stereotype. However, how a queer person presents can apply to a variety of queer labels. Being queer myself, I don’t feel comfortable deriving labels from isolated information for an individual be they real or fictional. I don't want to promote stereotypes, and because of this, you won't find me jumping to conclusions about their unique queerness.

Japanese pronouns

For further reading about Japanese pronouns especially when used by queer people, I recommend this comprehensive article. Having read this, Yuuri’s switch to “atashi” during the first two times he skates Eros, makes even more sense to me.

*these base values were the same in the seasons I checked starting from the 2014/15 season to the 2016/17 season, which encompasses the time Yuri!!! was produced.

If you enjoy my meta posts, please consider giving my blog a follow or checking out my works on AO3(link in bio). You will find the results of my meta musings in there!

[pikahlua]

Pika I wanna cry, why do all good things end

To give us an opportunity to commemorate them!

I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to make a ritual to send MHA off. I for one will eat katsudon that day!

Make your tribute art and fics! Listen to the whole MHA OST that day! Make a silly meme to post! Draw Kacchan's face on a sugar cookie!

And continue loving MHA long after. I've got a long MHA fanfic I've gotta keep writing, and hopefully I can get a new chapter out in time for the end!

[bakudekuficlibrary]

BakuDeku: Wrong Number

1 Series. 7 Works.

Anonymous asked: Do you guys have any Wrong Number fics? Just finished reading Bluebird and wanted more of that trope!

Bluebird by EtherealBeing ( E | 53,108 | 7/7 )

Dialing a wrong number was no unusual occurrence. Everyone did it once in a while, and Katsuki was well aware of that fact.

However, possessing this knowledge made it no less aggravating for him to discover — a full two minutes into his rant about his day — that he’d been venting his frustrations to a complete stranger. As if that wasn’t enough, said stranger was also inexplicably determined to hear his story to its end.

The Great Katsuki Bakugou Textmergency by brichibi ( T | 6,559 | 1/1 )

All right. Fine. Katsuki Bakugou loves Izuku Midoriya. The first step is texting that information to best bud Eijirou Kirishima. The second step is to accidentally send the love confession to that Stupid Deku. The third step is to PANIC and dial “squad” for immediate backup.

[Series] Wrong Numbers and Complicated Feelings by LoveGeek15 ( T | 32,325 | 2 Works | Complete )

It’s perfectly dark in Izuku’s room; not a single ray of sunlight could penetrate through these seals. The only light that shone in his abyss, despite it being three in the afternoon, was his computer —

'make sure you eat lunch idiot'

— and the above message that was displayed from the newest and strangest number in his phone.

(Izuku answers a spam call that ends up being more than just a number on his phone.)

Not Her Number by vintige ( Not Rated | 3,708 | 1/1 )

a wrong number. weird conversations. and katsudon withdrawal. and Christmas lights. what could go wrong?

or Midoriya Izuku misdials Ochako's number and ends up making a new friend (or something more!) just in time for Christmas

[Abandoned] Payphone by flowercafe ( M | 5,433+ | 3/? )

Izuku’s in trouble — like, SOS trouble. Lucky for him, he’s one phone call away from salvation. Hopefully his trembling fingers dial the right number, because it would really suck if he accidentally called a stranger right now.

or

The “I was walking home alone in the middle of the night and someone started following me so I ran into this phone booth with a lock on the door to call for help, but my hands were shaking so badly I accidentally dialed the wrong number and I don’t even know who you are but please help me" au — ft. a Quirkless Izuku whose misdial connects him to the personal cell line of pro hero Ground Zero.

[Abandoned] Who are you texting? by chetrambles ( T | 5,024+ | 2/5 )

Midoriya accidentally texts the wrong number, but instead of not texting it again, he kinda- does. His faceless friend slots into his life like he was always meant to be in it, though his friends are more than wary about the situation.

Bakugou had not expected anything more than annoyance from the idiot who couldn't remember his friends number, so he was as surprised as all of his friends when the nerd starts growing on him.

What happens when the lines of friendship become blurred?

[Abandoned] Kiss Me Through the Phone by dynyamight ( T | 7,759+ | 3/15 )

“You got all that, right?” Shinsou asks, readjusting his backpack on his shoulders. Midoriya hums absentmindedly. He’s still quickly jotting down the last few digits onto his planner. “And, you said tomorrow, around 7:00? At the library?” “Yeah,” Shinsou shrugs, “Or anytime really. The deadline isn’t until next month, you know.” “I kinda just want to get it done, as soon as possible.” Shinsou breathes out a snort. “Figured you’d say that much. Just make sure you got my number. Repeat it, if you need to.”

Midoriya should have done exactly that. Unbeknownst to him, Bakugou's phone number was just one digit off Shinsou's.

hang each night in rapture by Radiant_Allomancer ( E | 1,698+ | 1/? )

ooo somebody’s getting *defensive* I’m getting such an interesting picture of you already -angry hedgehog -foot fetish -daddy kink -will send threatening messages to friends and strangers out-of-the-blue -has the vocabulary of a middle schooler

shut the fuck up oh my god do you ever stop talking

do you know any other curse words besides fuck??

a bkdk wrong number AU

To see the original 2019 post, click here.

[yoificfinder]

In celebration of women, here are some fics centered around the great women of YOI! Happy international women's day! ♀️✨️

(Don't) Give a Damn by @forochel [T, 9K]

Mari, through the years,

an open door by tripcyclone [G, 8K]

Lilia never wanted children of her own, but caring for Victor gives her a glimpse into the life she chose to pass by.

and your feet will follow by @prinzenhasserin [T, 13K]

Lilia’s relationship with her fellow ballerinas wasn’t usually complicated. Usually, she knew exactly where she stood. Not so with Minako Okukawa who had disappeared from the ballet world some years ago to hide in the dance studio of a backwater town in Japan.

Lilia didn’t care about that, of course. Not at all. She just deserved a vacation, to Japan, incidentally.

another girl in another time by cityboys [G, 11K]

Wouldn’t it be cool if there really is another version of you out there?

Beautiful in Knowing by @val-creative [T, 1K]

Sara knew she was a girl, even if nobody else did or believed her.

She ordered Michele to call her "Lady Sara" from now on. He would roll his eyes and grumble, but never attempt to misgender her. She liked "Sara" — it meant "lady, princess, noblewoman". And she would never go back to her deadname.

if friends were flowers, i'd pick you by windupbirdgirl [G, 4K]

During the first two years of high school, Yuuko finds she barely has time to breathe. The sky seems very far away, the sea even more so. She hasn’t gone to the rink in months.

if love is king, who wears the crown by @crollalanzaa [G, 1K]

“Second is seen as nothing,” Christophe had derided.

“But that moment you glide onto the ice, that hush of the audience, and that expectation, isn’t that worth something?”

“You speak as if you know. You used to skate?"

Past tense. It still stung, even if it was expected.

Minako knows exactly what it's like to be at the top of your game, and she remembers the descent just as clearly.

if she wants me by renaissance [G, 6K]

Hiroko and Minako, then and now.

if the sea has any draw for you by weird_bird [E, 8K]

The first time Mila saw her dance in person, her power funneled down into elegance, the granite of her face transmogrified to marble, she almost gave her the password to her bank account, she’s that good.

kagura by night by seventhstar / @pencilwalla [T, 1K]

The world around her is like the mountains.

A mortal lifespan is narrow; mortals watch the mountain’s unchanging faces, unravaged by the same measure of time that takes a human from dust to dust, and think them immortal in comparison. But stone erodes, just as flesh decays. It just takes longer.

If she watches long enough, everything changes. Languages drift until all the words she learned before are meaningless. Technology changes until she ceases to believe in magic because human ingenuity is more infinite than the stars. What is beautiful, what is polite, what is wrong, what is right—time, given its way, reshapes all.

But Minako’s body remains as it has always been. That’s why she loves to dance, she supposes; it’s the one thing time cannot take from her.

Katsudon by @azriona [G, 8K]

Hiroko doesn’t need to see to coat pork cutlets in egg and panko. She has made this dish for her family for over thirty years; she’ll make it another thirty, if she’s lucky.

Now she makes it for Yuuri and Victor as they fly home from Barcelona, with silver around their necks and gold around their fingers.

keep me steady as we go by orphan_account [G, 3K]

When Isabella stood and crossed the room to where he sat she saw her notebook open in his lap, turned to the last page of their to-do list, all but three items crossed off with less than a month to the wedding date. License. Ceremony. Everything after. She saw the angle of his gaze, too, not on the words but straight ahead, staring blank and glassy and brittle into some invisible place she still wasn’t sure she could follow him to, yet. And yet she had been the one who’d promised to try—and to keep promising, forever and forever.

Kooks by BoxWineConfessions [G, 3K]

Mari clasps her right hand across her left hand and rests them both atop her growing stomach. “I guess you’re just lucky that your father, I mean your other father, my brother-“ Mari giggles. “God, it all sounds so weird, doesn’t it? Do you care? Do you care that we’re all so fucked up and we don’t care at all?” Mari laughs again. It’s all she can do when she hurts this much, and wants a cigarette this much, but can’t stop smiling despite the fact that her body seems to hate her so much. “Well he means the world to me. That’s why I have you.”

Living in the Maybe by @adrianners [T, 6K]

It wasn’t hard to spot a 180cm platinum blond in Fukuoka International Airport. Especially when he was the only person wearing sunglasses. Indoors. At night.

Mari picks Viktor up at the airport when he returns from Moscow. Without Yuuri there to play his usual role of interpreter, they learn to communicate around their linguistic, cultural, and personal barriers.

my better self by @spookyfoot [G, 1K]

Mila's the first friend Yuuri's made in Russia. Technically, Yuuri became friends with Yurio in Hasetsu, but he'd never say that to Yurio's face.

On his first day training in Russia, Mila stole Yuuri from the rink and showed him pictures of Victor and Georgi wearing Spice Girls t-shirts Victor had picked up at a consignment shop during Skate America in 2006, and a video of them skating a synchronized routine to "Stacy's Mom."

"Don't let anyone here intimidate you. I guarantee none of them are scarier than Yura." They watched Victor skate circles around Yuri on the ice, Mila's camera primed for blackmail material—just in case.

_________

Yuuri and some of the women in his life, through the years.

Variations on a Theme by BoxWineConfessions [M, 20K]

Mari doesn't like it when the past and the present overlap so easily. Mari knows the mischievous grin and the burn of eyes that linger too long. They're the trademark of girls who are still figuring out what they want, but want relentlessly. Mari is tired of letting people in, only to have to say goodbye when their vacation is over.

Mila has experienced this before, this knowing little smile that implies that they know something about her body that she doesn’t. It comes across as cocky, and arrogant on men, and gentle with Mari. Mari looks like she's just told her some kind of wonderful secret.

Together, they reshape their expectations.

[triptychgrip]

If Viktor Nikiforov ever wrote a memoir…

…I think it’d be food-centric, and titled something along the lines of Eating Katsudon With Yuuri: How Figure Skating’s “Living Legend” Found A Home Beyond The Ice. Its cover photo would make even the most hardened heart (i.e. belonging to one Seung-Gil Lee) melt, featuring an image of our two favorite ice husbands wearing their skates and sitting side-by-side at the boards in Ice Castle Hasetsu. Yuuri would be holding a piping-hot bowl of katsudon, with his arm outstretched to feed a bite to Viktor.

It should go without saying that the latter’s heart shaped smile would be out in full-force, and they’d be surrounded by Makkachin and the multiple other poodles they adopt once Yuuri came to live in St. Petersburg. And as for the content, Viktor would dedicate each chapter to a different food item that holds special meaning in his life, such as the oyakodon dish that the two of them learned to make in Russia over FaceTime with Hiroko, that chaotic lesson helping to reaffirm that even away from the onsen, the two of them would continue to make special memories with Yuuri’s family.

Or, the inarguably lavish meal of oestra caviar that Yakov treated him to shortly after he’d won gold at the 2006 Turin Games, as an intrepid teenager eager to prove himself. (Viktor would detail how Yakov refused to repeat the reward after his second Olympic gold, not wanting to “make a habit out of such decadence”.) The promo for the memoir’s publication would be absolutely over-the-top, and Viktor would time it to coincide with the second or third iteration of the Viktor and Friends ice show (which allowed Toshiya and Hiroko to throw him a proper publication party in the onsen’s courtyard that all their friends would be able to attend).

Oh, and given the strong food themes, Viktor would make an appearance on the Mythical Kitchen’s Last Meals YouTube show, and you can bet that he’d get Chef Josh to recreate some of the food he and Yuuri served at their wedding 🥹😭

Note: I’ve linked Becky Lynch’s episode of ‘Last Meals’ in which she promoted her memoir, which was the thing that kicked off this little brainstorming session (which may lead to some fic development)

Note (2): and by ‘may’ I mean ‘almost definitely’; if you’ve read my fic detailing Yuuri and Viktor’s appearance on Vanity Fair’s Lie Detector game series, you probably realize how much I love writing post-canon media appearance content

[oatmealcrisp-freak]

Yuuri Katsuki has Bullied Kid energy.

Yuuri : Don't you dare see me as weak or perceive my vulnerability. Please comfort me and reassure me. I'll be constantly afraid of your reaction if I inconvenience you. Nothing scares me more than the people I trust lying to me. I'm more competent and at home in the face of people's scorn than in the face of their genuine love for me. The idea that anyone could see me as desirable is baffling. The world sees me as little more than dirt and I don't disagree with them. I am going to make them eat their teeth with their words or so help me I will set myself on fire trying. Just watch, I am the most beautiful woman in town and you will rue the day you underestimated me. How you like me now?

Victor, thinking he'd been dumped by the first person who'd made him happy in a very long time : I see this, I respect this, I am going to use the hell out of this. Hey. Hey fatty. Watch me pry the thing you love and use to cope with your feelings right out of your fingers until you lose weight. kinda reminiscent of what you did to me :) kinda sorta you know just a lil bit. You don't know what eros is? Okay, now you're just making fun of me.

Victor, after Yuuri had his katsudon eros realization : ...JFC he actually literally doesn't know. I. Uh. ...Huh. Well. Uhm. Okay. Maybe that means he doesn't get OTHER things too. He. He genuinely doesn't know what he did to me. He probably didn't even do it deliberately. Okay. Okay? Okay. I can work with this. THINK OF THE JUICY SUCCULENT PORK, BABE. ...I can't fkn believe this.

Victor, several episodes later when Yuuri reveals he literally doesn't remember the banquet: ...Well shit. The past year of my life has been a lie and I might be an asshole. Hm.

I've read some fics where after Yuuri's ED gets triggered and he crashes hard Victor looks back at all those early comments and goes 'I didn't mean it that way babe you're hot when you're fat and you weren't even that fat it was just that it could be unsafe for your joints to skate in that condition' and sure okay I get wanting to minimize the blow and Yuuri is adorable AF when he's heavier and i still enjoy those fics for the most part but

I disagree with that fully and completely cus nah, Victor's a petty lil bitch who can be cold and ruthless and isn't afraid to hurt people. Is he also warm and kind and loving and doing his best? Yes. He contains multitudes. But he was absolutely aiming to hurt, because he was hurt.

Yuuri, meanwhile, who's been bullied for a great majority of his childhood but has complete faith in Victor and unwavering confidence in his honesty - especially when that honesty fits his world view - that he has an entire Victor shaped blind spot : Eh? Pfft. He wasn't bullying me, what are you talking about? He was literally telling the truth. :/ I mean really, he was taking care of me.

Victor, falling to the ground and clutching his stomach with a groan because ooouuugghhh guilt-nausea : Y-....Yuuri.....

Yuuri : I mean Yurio can be a bully but that's just how he shows he cares so :3 Nah haha, I've had waaaay worse, trust me, lol

Yurio : ....I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of?

Victor, convulsing :

I think Yuuri can absolutely pick up on when Victor is being dishonest with him and poking his sharp little fingers into the sore spots, but more on an intuitive level that he doesn't know how to make sense of logically, so he just accepts it and moves on largely without comment a;dlkf he'll probably figure it out like fifteen years down the road when he's older and wiser and one day he squints at his husband and goes "...huh, okay" and then never does anything about it anyway because he loves Victor and forgives him and also Victor's hot when he's being mean so

[vickyvicarious]

⌨️ What modern technology would you use to fight vampires?

🖊️ Have you ever created any Dracula fanworks? If so, which one are you proudest of?

🍲Do you like paprika hendl? What's your favourite dish that's not local to your country?

⌨️- This is a tricky one. So many options... Well, one thing I would definitely want to do is take advantage of the ways instant communication is made easier in our day. Texting or calling my fellow vampire hunters to make sure we are all in the loop and not missing any important communications! Research without having to be on-site could potentially be easier, and travel faster. As far as some kind of innovative measures against them... I don't know that I would have the means to use it if it even worked but I wonder if there could be some kind of UV lamp that might weaken a vampire in the same way as being out in the day, even if to a lesser amount. That's less likely with Dracula vampires though, where it's more about the timing than the light. Though that in turn makes me wonder how timezones affect it, haha. Hey, I could always attempt to taze a vampire? I dunno.

🖊️ - I've not really. I've thought about writing fic but just haven't really gotten the urge to actually do it. Mostly just thought about it because I typically write fic when I get invested in a fandom, not because I have a particular idea calling to me. I've done tons of meta though, both in analysis and just kind of tracking timelines and such.

🍲 - I've not! I've meant to give it a go but I haven't gotten around to it on the day it's mentioned each year, and then just forgot. I love a ton of foods that aren't local and always have a hard time picking a favorite. But one I very much love is katsudon. Pork, rice, egg, veggies. A nice hearty and filling meal that is always welcome in the winter.

[aconstantstateofbladerunner]

I loved your dekugate toshinko headcanons! If it's okay, do you have more headcanons of them? I really love how you write them in your fics

Inko likes the edge pieces of brownies while Toshi likes the middle pieces. Soulmates.

Toshinori loves gift giving, and he’s a famous hero with too much money so price is never an issue. Inko is unfortunately a very practical person, so unnecessary luxuries are more of a hassle that takes up space. (Also there’s some insecurity about feeling like a gold digger since she makes way less than him.) She had to implement a rule making him ask her first before he bought a gift worth more than $200 otherwise their home would keep piling up with expensive crap she doesn’t need or want.

Inko has two exceptions to her aversion to luxury: food and travel. Inko had never been outside Japan before they started dating. Before Izuku was born, if All Might needed to go out of the country for hero work or events, Parakeet came with him. She fell in love with all the exotic foods of the world, and Toshi learned to cook specifically to bring those foods to her. He has multiple subscriptions to different food-based monthly loot boxes that deliver hard to find ingredients from all around the world. The thing that eventually convinces Inko to take a job at UA is the promise that she’ll get to eat his cooking every day again.

Toshi on the other hand is very easy to buy gifts for. Anything related to pre-quirk superheroes, or kitchen gadgets. They have nearly a dozen different shapes for their waffle maker as that was Inko’s go-to for his birthday for a few years.

Inko is hardly a bad cook herself, she just doesn’t enjoy it as much. There are only a few dishes she takes the lead on in the Midoriya-Yagi household, but everyone agrees she makes them better than anyone. One of those is katsudon, which is so incredible, it’s ruined all other katsudon for Izuku. Even though it’s his favorite, everything else ends up tasting bland in comparison.

She did take the job at UA not long after the events of Dekugate, teaching a much more involved search and rescue course than previously offered. It’s a lot harder than any of the kids expected based on how sweet she was on Nabu. Toshi, the eternal softie, asks her more than once to go a little easier on them. You ever seen that post comparing two people’s reaction to a cat being in jail? “Nooooo! He’s innocent!” vs “I have no sympathy for this criminal.” That’s them with the students.

But she and Toshi continued to be lovey-dovey in front of the students to embarrass Izuku. He doesn’t actually mind that much. He’s just happy his family is safe and together again.

[mollymarymarie]

Hi! I LOVE DYH so when a friend told me about Bird Set Free I ran so fast to read it and the way I literally screeched out loud when I read that Remus is Half Japanese in this fic?! Im half Japanese and I also love katsudon and daifuku and called my Grandpa Jiji and the happiness that brought me.....thank you :') Also, I've been binging all your other fics while I wait for new chapters and idk why its taken me this long to do so but I LOVE THEM ALL

OH MY GOSH THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!! I'm so glad you like the fic but I'm so excited I got these little things right! (especially Baba and Jiji because I read some things say yes its common to say for grandchildren and others say it was disrespectful but i was like ITS SO CUTE THO) so I am so so so happy that it made you happy!! And you came back and made me happy, so I think we're even! ❤️

[gay-hoodie-boy]

Improv and improper wannabe yakuza fic based on recent brainrot and much-needed comfort lol

Masa gets a knock on his door. It's Akatsuki (temp s/i name), awkwardly rubbing his arm and standing and the door.

"Kats? Wasn't expecting you, what's up? Are you okay?"

"...are you busy?"

"Not at all. Did you want to hang out with me?"

"If that's okay..."

"Of course it is, you know I love spending time with you."

Masa steps aside and invites Kats into the apartment. It's dingy and small, but much more clean as of late. Likely a result of Tatsu's influence on Masa.

Kats quietly takes a seat on the couch. "You can pretend I'm not here, I won't get in your way. I just... didn't want to be alone."

"Is everything okay?" Masa sits down next to Kats, looking at him in worry.

Kats takes a deep breath. "I... can't trust myself right now. I didn't want to let myself be alone."

Masa furrows his eyebrows, knowing all too well how that feels. "I'll stay right here. And if something happens, I'll get you some help. Did something trigger this, or...?"

Kats shakes his head. "I think I'm just having an episode. Thank you for caring."

"That's nothing to thank me for. You deserve care. And I've been in your shoes before."

Silence passes for a few moments, before Kats takes another deep breath and settles more comfortably on the couch. Masa follows suit, allowing Kats to lean on him a little and picking up the TV remote.

"...are those cacti?" Kats asks, eyeing the plants on the windowsill.

"Yeah," says Masa, looking over at them too. "Miku won them at an office party, and gave them to me. I've heard having something to take care of helps you take better care of yourself, so..."

A soft chuckle escapes Kats' mouth, warming Masa's heart. "It's working. I can tell you've showered. Use less aftershave next time, though. It's too strong."

Masa blushes and looks away in his embarrassment, then turns the TV on to distract from the call-out. "Uh. Have you eaten?"

"I had toast this morning, but nothing else," Kats admits quietly.

"I can ask Boss if he has leftovers. He made katsudon yesterday."

"Hey, no, don't bother Tatsu-"

"Already texting him."

"Dammit."

"I love you, Kats."

"...I love you too, Masa. Thank you."

[thegayfromrulid]

So for my next request, based on the 100 Percent Hero AU, can you write a oneshot with Mob (and Toshinor) celebrating Izuku's birthday please? This would take place during the 10 month training regiment and you can decide if they have a small party at Izuku's house or go out somewhere. But I'd like the main theme to be Inko wanting to learn more about Mob while showing gratitude for being her son's first friend in such a long time. What do you think?

First off: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patience! I had literally prepped to write this three weeks ago, but despite my efforts I got the you-know-what virus. (T-T)

This was a really sweet request, and I debated the angle for a while when thinking about how to incorporate the perspective of Inko. I hope that the angle I finally chose reads well.

Fic link for the AO3 format

One-shot below the cut!

            If there was one thing to be said about Midoriya Inko, it would most certainly be that she loved her son more than anything else in this world. She strove to be the best mother she could be for him. In his ups and his downs, she always did her best to support him. It was difficult, at times. Izuku, because of his Quirkless nature, was a frequent target of bullying. He showed difficulty in making friends. The one person he claimed as a friend, Bakugou Katsuki,  seemed more like a bully than a friend to Inko. To her, it seemed as though she was the only person in the world Izuku had as a means of support. Thus, it came as a shock when Izuku returned home one evening and asked if it would be okay to invite two people who weren’t Katsuki to celebrate his birthday with them.

             The way his eyes lit up with eagerness and anticipation made it hard for her to say no. There were nerves bundled up in her stomach as she said yes, though. She wanted to protect Izuku from the scars that bullying left behind as much as possible. A fear of this being some sort of cruel prank didn’t leave her mind, even as he thanked her and rushed off to text his invitees. She did her best to brush that fear aside—if she was asking herself who in the world would want to spend Izuku’s birthday with him, then she was submitting to the idea that his Quirklessness made him stand out as someone undesirable. Even as she felt nervous waiting for that day to approach, she did her best to have hope.

            Please. Please be true friends.

            She repeated those words over and over in her head as she prepared his favorite meal for this special occasion. It was strange making katsudon for four; usually, she and Izuku ate alone, since her husband worked abroad. Hopeful warmth filled her chest. It was going to be a positive thing, seeing these four plates set at her table. Today would be a great fifteenth birthday for Izuku. Pushing her worries aside, she finished setting up the table just before she heard the front door swing open.

            “Mom! I’m home!”

            Inko hurried to the front to greet her son and his guests. Her nerves started to bubble up again as she saw the two people on either side of Izuku. One was a boy with a bowl cut wearing the gakuran of an unfamiliar school. The other was a very tall, thin man with longer blond hair that seemed vaguely familiar. Izuku waved his hand at the boy first.

            “Mom, this is my friend Kageyama Shigeo!” he announced excitedly. “He’s been training with me to get into UA as well!”

            She gave a polite bow as the boy did the same. He gave her a small smile as he did so.

            “Nice to meet you,” he said.

            His voice was soft. She could tell just from his gentle greeting that he was a kind boy at heart. Her worries had been for nothing, perhaps. Izuku turned next to the man on his right.

            “And this is who’s been training us!” he added.

            The tall man bowed.

            “I’m sorry for not speaking with you earlier, Mrs. Midoriya,” he said. “My name is Yagi Toshinori. You may know me better by my professional name, All Might. I’ve been training these two boys to help them prepare for their entrance exams for UA.”

            She wasn’t sure she’d heard that quite right. All Might? THE All Might? Training her son with this other boy from another school? All she could be was flustered as she invited the number one hero into her home as one of Izuku’s birthday guests.

            He must be ecstatic, she thought.

            But something seemed different. All Might was standing here in the doorway, taking in the humble Midoriya home, and Izuku was excitedly bolting down the hall to show Shigeo something in his room. The warmth from before returned to Inko’s chest. She pressed her hands to her heart and did her best not to audibly sigh. This was an unfamiliar sight, yes, but it was a welcome one. However this unlikely trio had met, it was for the best that they’d done so.

            “Is everything all right, Mrs. Midoriya?”

            Inko jumped a little at the sound of All Might’s voice breaking the silence. She turned and gave him a polite smile and nodded.

            “Yes, I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just grateful to see that Izuku has a friend. He’s had such trouble making friends, especially since we found out he was Quirkless.”

            All Might nodded.

            “I’m sure that was hard for you both,” he said. “Young Midoriya is a selfless soul. He needs people around him who care about him deeply because of this. I can already tell that Kageyama will be someone he can depend on when he needs support.”

            She wanted to believe that more than anything. All of his life, Izuku had wanted nothing more than to be a hero. Being a true hero was a very selfless act. He wanted to put his life on the line for those in need, just as All Might did. The number one hero was right—those who were the most selfless often needed someone else to care about them for them. Izuku was no exception to that. If this Kageyama Shigeo could truly take on the role of a true friend for him, it would put Inko’s heart at ease.

            The boys looked happy as they sat around the table to partake of the birthday dinner. Inko watched as they dug into their meals, both almost immediately expressing their gratitude a second time to her once they’d tasted it. After they’d talked for a bit about their training regimen for the day between themselves, Inko finally found the courage to insert herself into the conversation.

            “So, Kageyama, what kind of Quirk do you have?” she asked.

            He hummed for a moment, as if contemplating the best way to answer the question. Then, he lifted his hand over the table, and one of the dishes started to float a few inches over another one. It was very similar to Inko’s own Quirk, if she had to say.

            “I suppose you could call it telekinesis,” Kageyama said. “It’s not just lifting things in the air like this, though.”

            Izuku nodded enthusiastically.

            “You should see how much he can lift!” he exclaimed. “I bet Shige could lift a whole building!”

            The boy blushed a bit and scratched the back of his head.

            “Maybe…” he mumbled.

            Inko just laughed.

            “I’m sure you’ll get into UA with a Quirk like that,” she said.

            Kageyama tilted his head to the side.

            “Well, I still don’t feel like I have everything it takes to be a hero,” he said. “That’s why I’m training with Izuku to continue improving my body and my powers. I want to make sure that I can avoid hurting people with my powers.”

            His statement sounded as though there was something deeper about this in his mind. Izuku and Kageyama were complete opposites in terms of Quirks; Izuku wanted to help people even without a Quirk, but this boy had a very powerful Quirk and wanted to improve himself despite that Quirk. Perhaps, deep down, the two were more alike than she realized. Perhaps this was why they became friends. Izuku placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder and gave him a smile.

            “We’ll improve our bodies together,” he said.

            Kageyama smiled back at him and nodded.

            “Yeah,” he said. “We will.”

            Inko glanced over at All Might. He was beaming brightly at the two boys, clearly proud of their drive to better themselves.

            “So, Kageyama, what made you want to become a hero?” Inko asked. “That is, if you don’t mind me asking.”

            Kageyama shook his head.

            “No, not at all,” he said.

            He paused for a moment, clearly putting some thought into his answer.

            “I’ve thought a lot about what to do with these powers,” he said. “At times I’ve used them to impress people, but I’ve learned that it takes more than powers to earn someone’s favor. That’s why I want to be the best person I can be. I have these powers for a reason, and if using them to save lives is the best use of who I am and what these powers are, then I should strive to use them for that purpose.”

            It was evident from his words that Kageyama strove for one thing: to be a good person with people who appreciated him surrounding him. He and Izuku were compatible in this way. Izuku’s heart was open to everyone, and Kageyama’s desire was to be close to someone. Even if those weren’t the exact words Kageyama had used, Inko could see through it. She was grateful that Izuku had made a friend who sought true friendship regardless of Quirks.

            Her gratitude only increased as the evening passed by. After dinner, she, Kageyama, and All Might all presented Izuku with a small gift. The two boys played a few games while Inko set up birthday cake, and they excitedly hurried back to the table to grab a slice. Inko asked a few more questions about Kageyama’s life, and he humbly filled her in on some details while skirting around others. By the end of the evening, she felt as though she’d learned a little bit about her son’s friend, even if it wasn’t everything she was curious about. As the two guests stepped out of the door to leave, she gave them both a bow.

            “Thank you both so much for coming to celebrate Izuku today,” she said.

            The pair waved their hands.

            “Of course!” All Might said. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to celebrate with my students!”

            Kageyama nodded.

            “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “Thank you for having us.”

            Inko shook her head back at him.

            “No, Kageyama, truly,” she said, “thank you. Thank you for being a true friend to my son. Can you promise me something?”

            The boy smiled and dipped his head politely.

            “Please support Izuku as you continue this journey together,” she said. “He needs a strong friend to support him. He needs support in ways that I nor your mentor can support him in. Can you do that for me? And for Izuku?”

            With a smile, Kageyama nodded his head.

            “One hundred percent,” he said. “I will have Izuku’s back no matter what.”

            Even after the boy was gone, and Inko was alone with her thoughts, Kageyama’s words warmed her heart. Izuku had found a true friend. She clutched a pillow to her chest and did her best not to cry. It felt as though a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She had long guilted herself for Izuku’s Quirklessness, and because of that, she guilted herself on his lack of friends. But now, he had someone who would stay by his side on his journey to becoming a hero.

            “Thank you, Kageyama Shigeo,” she whispered.

            For she could rest easy now, knowing that Izuku had one more person caring for him.

[kaleidodreams]

Heavenly Pearl's Fic Review 2022 - A Cup Of Good Cheer

I wrote "A Cup Of Good Cheer" for this year's Otayuri Advent.

Summary: Yuri is surprised when he returns home to Lilia’s after practice on Christmas Eve and finds an unexpected package from his new friend, Otabek, waiting for him.

Thoughts: I was thrilled to get the chance to write for Otayuri Advent, an annual event that I've enjoyed as a fan for the past couple of years. Stories didn't have to be related to Christmas despite the "Advent" part, but I love writing Christmas fics and hadn't had a chance to write one this year yet, so I really wanted to write one for my contribution. The only problem? I usually headcanon Otabek as Muslim. Now, that's not actual canon -- and the official art of him eating katsudon (a pork dish) would seem to imply he isn't (although they also show Yakov, who definitely is supposed to be Jewish, eating Yurio's katsudon piroshki in show, so it's probably just a case of the Japanese creators not knowing much about Islam and Judaism) -- but it didn't feel right to ignore my headcanon just to make it easier to write a cute Christmas fic starring him and Yuri. (Obviously, I'm fine with other people who don't share that headcanon writing/drawing Christmas works about them, considering all the Christmas Otayuri fanart I've reblogged the past few days!) So, I came up with the idea of Otabek sending Yuri a package that coincidentally arrives on Orthodox Christmas Eve and Yuri being confused about it until Otabek explains he didn't mean it to be a Christmas present, then I got to indulge in my Christmas love with the Lilia subplot. I think it turned out rather well!

I wrote one more fic this year -- well, I guess technically two, if you count my "Drops of Moonlight" zine fic, which has yet to be released to the public -- but it's part of a gift exchange, and creators won't be revealed until Jan. 1. So, I guess I'll just wait until then to wrap up this review. In the meantime, Merry Christmas if you celebrate, and happy holidays!

[dangcommaannie]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Not necessarily tagged, but I saw @dadvans do this and I wanted to too lol

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?

104!

2. What's your total Ao3 word count?

453,629, which is way more than I thought!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mainly Haikyuu right now. I used to write a fair amount of Yuri on Ice, Miss Sherlock, Overwatch, and Dream Daddy. I've got some Leverage fics too as well as some one off fics for some other fandoms.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Yes, Professor? (Yuri on Ice)

Bro? (Dream Daddy)

Read Between the Lines (Haikyuu)

Everybody Loves Toshi (Haikyuu)

All In (Haikyuu)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Absolutely! It might take me a minute, and I may read it and forget to respond, but I do try to respond to everything.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmmm I don't usually do angsty endings, so this was hard. But probably Like We Used To Do (Haikyuu) or Silver Bells and Cockle Shells (Dream Daddy.)

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably To This Ordinary Day (Overwatch.) It's just all fluff.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not usually. I actually only got my first rude comment the other day, which, given how much I've written and for how long, is very good. Good on you, readers!

9. Do you write smut?

Yes, but not well lol

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you have written?

No full fics of crossovers so far, but I've written a few drabbles that had some crossovers when I used to do requests for Miss Sherlock.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not as far as I know and I can only hope it never happens.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! It's so shocking to me that people want to translate my fics! As a polyglot, I know how hard it is to translate things and it's wild to me that people would pick to translate my fics!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, I have not.

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

You think I, a wild multishipper and rare pair lover, can choose? In this economy?! Nah, but really, if I had to pick, probably yeehan (Overwatch), ushisaku (Haikyuu), ushiten (Haikyuu), ushioi (Haikyuu), and the ot3 (Leverage). There's definitely a trend there lol 😅

15. What is a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Oh, no, sorry to my Yuri on Ice fans, but probably Kiss Kiss Katsudon! and Hey Mister DJ. I've had the docs for them sitting around for forever and I want to say that they'll at least get updated someday, I know it is highly unlikely right now. I'll still try, though. I'll still try. 👍

16. What are your writing strengths?

I would hope my characterization is good. I think I do well with dialogue too. I don't plan it, but I do unintentionally write a fair amount of character study that I think are good and I'm pretty sure that stems from me being an English literature major. Even though I have long since graduated, I still can't help but over-analyze and write essays. 😅

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Finishing anything and smut, which are kinda the same thing lol

18. Thoughts of writing dialogue in another language in fics?

I don't think I mind it. I can't recall if I've done it for a fic, but I don't have particularly strong feelings about it, I guess.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Probably Naruto. Quizilla is gone, but I know there are definitely still Naruto and Death Note fics on my FF.

20. Favorite fic you have written?

Time for me to promo some fics I feel deserve more love!

Nah, but really, though, Sleepless (Haikyuu) holds a very special place in my heart as does Yes, Professor? (Yuri on Ice). Neither are perfect, but they are influenced by some aspects of life, so they remain dear to me.

Legato (Haikyuu) was the first fic I wrote for @theorangecourt exchange and it was just way better than I had anticipated. Goshiki Tsutomu's Fool-Proof Step by Step Plan on How to be the Coolest Kid in Town (Haikyuu) was also inspired by my lovely friends in the Orange Court.

a book elegantly bound (Good Omens) was written on a whim and it's the first fic I wrote that got fanart.

Last, but definitely not least, 20 Questions (Haikyuu). I feel like this is one of my most underappreciated fics, and I need people to read it and appreciate it because I absolutely love and adore this fic so much. There is more of me in this than I had planned, but it still remains true to itself as well. I would not want to turn a fic into an actual published work, but if I had to, if someone forced me to, I would choose this one.

Tagging: Whoever wants to do it!

[yoificfinder]

Hi! Thank you so much for organizing something like this. I've been searching for a fic I know I read at least two years ago (not sure of age). It's a soulmate AU where all the nicknames/petnames your soulmate gives you are all over your skin (before you meet). Yuuri is covered in them and at one point someone says to Yuuri "You are going to be so loved". I also remember that Mari has only one and it's "B----" :( If you could help me find this I'd appreciate it so much!! Thank you!

Hiii! It's the second chapter in this collection of one-shot soulmates AUs Drunk on You by @kiaronna

Ch. 2 Pet Names

Yuuri has to wear long sleeves and pants to hide all of them—the winding Cyrillic that covers his skin, spotted with English words, phrases in kanji (my katsudon), and even Greek, for heaven’s sake. Viktor only has three: his name in beautiful Cyrillic, something complex in kanji his Japanese neighbor is too scandalized to translate, and in English a single word: coach.

Soulmate AU where all of your partner's nicknames for you are inscribed on your skin from birth

[triptychgrip]

Story Preview: Yuuri vs. Yurio on Hot Ones Versus

“And that’s already ten extra dollars in my pocket!” Mila gleefully called out, referring to the bet that she, Georgi, Sara, and Otabek were all in on.

“Why are you even here again?” Yura dryly lobbed back. “Katsudon gets his lovesick husband plus Kenjirou to fan him, mop his sweaty brow, and generally fuss over his well-being, while you’re just…what? Here to heckle and wish for my downfall?”

As Yuuri suspected he would, Viktor took this opening to gasp, theatrically, throwing a hand to his forehead like a storybook maiden that had just heard an earnestly breathless confession of love.

“Yura, I never knew you wished for me to fuss over you!” he cried, swaying a bit on his feet as if dizzied by the prospect. “And all this time, I believed you repulsed by my protective inclinations!”

The subsequent profanity-laden sentence from Yura would most definitely have to be bleeped out in the final cut, and Yuuri took a second to quiet his laughter before reaching for the first card in his pile.

“Ok, Yura…for round 1.”

He read it silently to himself, fighting the urge to giggle; it was actually a good thing Mila was here, because she’d be able to join him in calling Yura out if he tried to lie while answering.

“Before you left Russia to begin training here in Japan – a move that was catalyzed by your missing Viktor and I so very dearly once we’d left –” (Yuuri paused and grinned when Kenjirou whooped, delightedly) “– you were known as a little bit of a bully at Yubileyny, in particular towards the local hockey teams that occasionally rented out the ice. Describe the meanest thing you ever did to haze a fellow rinkmate or hockey player.”

A vivid memory of Yakov screaming his head off over a rather unfortunate hair dye incident floated to the forefront of Yuuri’s mind and he took a second to bask in the recollection.

“Or…feel free to eat a death wing," he finished, firmly.

After seeing my Vanity Fair Lie Detector game fic do so well, I've decided to continue my post-canon media appearance antics by writing another face-off, this time taking place betwwen Yuuri and Yurio as they battle each other/"the wings of death" while taping an episode of Hot Ones Versus.

If you enjoy the idea of their friendly rivalry, highly sappy/extra Viktuuri moments, and questions/answers that illuminate how our favorite character dynamics might have evolved a few years post-canon, I invite you to be on the lookout for this story, which I hope to upload to ao3 sometime in November (probably after I update my Olympics-focused WIP/series).

I haven't yet decided if I want this to be a very long one-shot or a 2-chapter fic, but in any event, folks who've read my other work probably know that shortfic is really hard for me…I really struggle to keep things brief and with something like this, I can't imagine it being anything less than 5-8K words in length. Especially because I want to include Viktor, Yuuri and Yuri’s POVs.

Lol…hope you’ll cheer me on and in the meantime, I’ve written lots of other (mostly post-canon) Yuri!!! on Ice fic you may want to check out.

[thescrapbookingscientist]

Biweekly Media Roundup

- Trigun (Anime) - Still hyperfixated, there’s some pretty good fics coming out for this fandom. 

- The Vampire Dies In No Time (Anime) - I don’t have anything new to say about this one, it’s stupid but in an endearing way, John is adorable. 

- Love Is War (Anime) - Now completely caught up, I definitely see why this is one of the top ranked romance anime, its very funny with super likable characters and creative setups for comedy. There actually seems to be quite a lack of fanrt for it though considering the size of the fandom, strange. 

- Tengoku Daimakyou (Anime) - I’m not sure what to expect with this one which is a good thing, it’s got some genuinely interesting worldbuilding so far. Also a trans lead, which is pretty cool. I’m really interested to see where this goes, it’s been a while since I’ve gone so blind into a mystery like this. 

- Dr, Stone (Anime) - Glad it’s back, the bread baking concept was fun, and I still love Senku as a protagonist. 

- Oshi No Ko (Anime) - Well this show is. Interesting. I saw it trending pretty high on my anime list which I thought was strange given that idol anime rarely break out of their specific idol-loving fanbase, but then I read a summary on the first episode and yeah I get it now. There are some...weird elements to the story that I really don’t appreciate but the main plot is pretty engaging, and I’m really enjoying all the behind the scenes entertainment industry info and acting drama-Makes me nostalgic for Skip Beat!.I need more time to grow attached to the characters themselves but if they keep up the acting drama this could be a favorite for the season.

- Campfire Cooking in Another World (Anime) - Finished the first season of this relaxing cooking anime. I think it succeeded in being exactly wanted it wanted to be, and I can respect that. I hope it gets a 2nd season, as I quite like this little monster family and want to see their low stakes adventures continue. Also it made me really miss Japanese food with how good they made it look. I want katsudon so bad. 

- The Locked Tomb Series (Books) - Well the end of Gideon the Ninth made me feel many emotions. I’m making my way through Harrow fairly slowly but the Ianth/Harrow interactions have been a blast. I miss Gideon though TT_TT Please let me see my lesbian himbo soon.

- Resident Evil 4 (Video Game) - Most of the way through 4 now, we’ve been watching the cutscenes with stupid outfits on Leon and Ashley which really changes the tone of them I’ll tell you. I forgot how short of a game it is but it’s been a ton of fun. Might buy it myself to replay a few times.

As usual I’m also keeping up with The Greatest Estate Developer, Land of the Lustrous, The Vampire Dies In No Time, and The S Classes that I raised.

Listening to: All Things End & Eat Your Young by Hozier, Stalkers Tango by Autoheart, Jesus He Knows Me cover by Ghost, The End of the Movie & I Hate Everything But You from Crazy Ex Girlfriend, This Is Not A Party by The Wombats, King of Anything by Sara Bareilles, Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives, Two Birds by Regina Spektor, They’re Only Human (DNtM OST)